


Come Back

by dunbarisms



Category: The Greatest Showman (2017)
Genre: M/M, Multi, barnum always knew it, barnum is a worried puppy, bisexual circus dads, phillip is bisexual and he might know it now
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-14
Updated: 2018-01-14
Packaged: 2019-03-04 21:27:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 571
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13373382
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dunbarisms/pseuds/dunbarisms
Summary: Barnum visits Phillip every day at the hospital. He prays and prays, hoping the boy will make it and forgive him for his abandonment. In the end what matters is that they are together.





	Come Back

**Author's Note:**

> Another barlyle one-shot.

**COME BACK**

 

The fire destroyed all the material part of his life, as a punishment for abandoning them all in favor of a world where everyone would stand up and clap at him, congratulating him. But the fire almost cost him something else. The life of his animals, his friends, his home. And Phillip.

He almost died when he saw Phillip running back inside the burning building for Anne and didn’t saw him emerge. Anne was fine, making it out on her own but there was no sign of the apprentice and Barnum feels his heart drop as the cracks of the building wishing to crumble can be heard.

So he looks back at his family and without warning he runs inside, taking out his coat in panic as he looks through the burning place.

He finds him, unconscious, clothes all black and he is barely breathing, Barnum was never a God-fearing man but at that moment he began praying to that God to let Phillip get better. They get out, and he feels the gentle low pulse of Phillip’s heart and he has to contain his tears at the idea.

Phillip is taken to the hospital and Barnum always visits.

Every day, at any hour. Even when he had reconciled with the circus and had begun projects to rebuild it all, he goes to Phillip and sits by his side. Sometimes, he reaches and holds his hand. If the nurses see something, they never say, and just allow him to sit by the man’s side. He tells him tales of his new ideas, of what he is going to do when he wakes up. What they are going to do. Together.

Because they are partners. Associates. Friends. And more. And he needs him by his side as much as he needs his girls and his wife.

He holds his hand tightly and keeps on talking, he talks, in hopes, Phillip is somehow conscious and he comes back, insulting him for abandoning their small circus family for the greatness of fame. He had run toward it while Phillip escaped it. And he should’ve known better.

“Come on, Phillip. Just come back to us.” Barnum whispers, in a small moment of weakness as he leans in, voice warming up unconscious knuckles. “Come back to me.” And a smile shows on his lips shortly after, a dry laugh coming through his mouth. “I’ll let you play first act.”

He will let him do anything. Just come back he prays inside his head and breathes out.

A finger twitches between his own and he is back looking at the younger man. Bruised, blackish face due to smoke looks back at him, struggling to open his eyes. Fingers somehow close to his own and Phillip’s voice comes out, even if briefly.

“Make me ringmaster and that’s a deal.” He speaks up, causing Barnum to sigh in relief and then, releasing a laugh at Phillip’s request.

“You get what you want this time, Carlyle.” He won’t fight him on this one. Not now, not when he just got him back. In a brave show of affection in front of curious eyes, Barnum leans down and kisses Phillip’s forehead, in what could be mistaken as a brotherly affection or even fatherly one.

But they both knew it lacks that sort of tie. It was complicated between them. Though much clearer now they knew how each other felt.


End file.
